COAL DUST REMOVAL AND COAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

• US 3,743,356 A
• Filed: 01/27/1972
• Issued: 07/03/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gene C. Sheets
• Original Assignee: Gene C. Sheets
• Inventors: Sheets, Gene C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schroeder, Werner H.
• Application Number:
  US05/221,171
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• Field of Search: 299/12,18,43,44,55,56,57,64,67,68
• US Class Current: 299/18
• CPC Class Codes: E21C 35/20 General features of equipment for removal of chippings, e.g. for loading on conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: E21C 35/223 Equipment associated with mining machines for sucking dust-laden air from the cutting area, with or without cleaning of the air

Abstract

Attachment to a continuous rotary ripper-type mining machine collects the dislodged coal and coal dust particles into a forward opening of a hood enclosure, pulverizes the conveyed coal into smaller particles in a processing chamber located within the forward portion of the hood enclosure, removes by suction fan assembly located within the rearward portion of the hood enclosure the coal dust laden air generated by the mining operation, collects the pulverized coal particles by gravity-fall into an auger-type conveyor screw that is mounted longitudinally in the lower portion of the hood enclosure and that exits through a rear hood opening, forms a suspended stream of an air and coal mixture from the screw conveyed coal particles and the suction collected air in a flexible/rigid booster-type pipeline that discharges the stream to a storage area outside of the mine.

Claims

1. A coal dust removal and coal transport system comprising:

a longitudinal mobile frame member;

a hood enclosing said frame member and having front and rear openings;

a rotary ripper-type cutter means disposed at the forward end of said frame member adjacent said front opening and mounted on said frame member for angular movement about a horizontal axis extending transversely of said frame member;

conveyor means positioned on said frame member and extending longitudinally from the front of said frame member adjacent said cutter means;

said cutter means operable to dislodge coal from the working mine face and to direct said dislodged coal on said conveyor means;

said conveyor means operable to convey said dislodged coal rearwardly;

breaker means and crusher means mounted on said frame member;

said conveyor means terminating at said breaker and crusher means and depositing the conveyed coal therein for pulverizing by said breaker and crusher means;

an auger-type conveyor screw mounted longitudinally in the lower portion of the hood enclosure and exiting through said rear hood opening;

said pulverized coal falling by gravity to form a stream of coal particles in said conveyor screw;

a chamber formed at the rear of said hood enclosure and exiting through said rear hood opening;

a suction fan assembly mounted in said chamber for handling the incoming coal dust laden air generated from the mining and processing operations;

a combination flexible/rigid pipeline connected with said rear hood opening;

said collected coal dust laden air and said screw conveyed coal particle stream forming a suspended stream of an air and coal mixture in said pipeline; and

means for operatively driving said cutter means, said conveyor means, said breaker means, said crusher means, said suction fan-assembly and said conveyor screw.

2. Apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor means includes a perforated conveyor section ahead of said breaker and crusher and within said hood enclosure thereby allowing small coal particles to fall by gravity into said conveyor screw.

3. Apparatus, according to claim 2, wherein a rigid metallic plate separates said perforated conveyor section from the forward section of said conveyor means to prevent coal particles from escaping from said hood enclosure.

4. Apparatus, according to claim 2, wherein a rigid metallic plate is mounted at the terminus of said perforated conveyor section, such that, in combination with said breaker means, the broken coal is diverted to said crusher means.

5. Apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein a fine mesh screen is supported on said frame member to separate said rear mounted fan chamber from the forward end of said enclosure, said screen capable of passing the coal dust laden air into the intake side of said fan assembly.

6. Apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said pipeline consists of a plurality of connecting flexible and rigid armored steel tubing sections to convey said suspended stream of air and coal mixture away from the mining area.

7. Apparatus, according to claim 6, wherein a plurality of fan means surrounds said pipeline at selective locations along said pipeline to assist the stream flow of the air and coal mixture in said pipeline.

8. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein high pressure jet means are mounted beneath said pipeline at selective locations along said pipeline and are positioned at oblique angles thereto, said jet means expediting the flow of the stream of the air and coal mixture in said pipeline.

9. A method of continuous coal mining comprising the following steps:

a. continuously dislodging coal from a working mine face in an underground mine by rotary ripper-type cutter means;

b. conveying the dislodged coal through a front opening of a hood enclosure to a processing chamber within said hood enclosure;

c. pulverizing the conveyed coal in a processing chamber into a stream of fine coal particles;

d. screw conveying the stream of fine coal particles out a rear opening of said hood enclosure;

e. suction removing by fan means the coal dust laden air generated in the atmospheric vicinity of the mining operation and in the processing chamber and passing said coal dust laden air out the said hood rear opening;

forming a suspended stream of an air and coal mixture from the screw conveyed coal particles and the suction collected coal dust laden air in a pipeline that connects with said rear hood opening;

f. and transferring said suspended stream of air and coal mixture in a combination flexible/rigid pipeline to an area outside of the mine.